Method for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, in particular flat substrates

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, in particular flat substrates, containing at least one conducting, semiconducting and/or insulating layer, in which a substrate which is provided with at least one metal layer and/or with at least one layer containing metal, in particular a stack of substrates, each of which is provided with at least one metal layer and/or with at least one layer which contains metal, is inserted into a processing chamber and heated to a predetermined substrate temperature; elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided past on the or on every metal layer and/or layer containing metal, from a source located inside and/or outside the processing chamber, in particular by means of a carrier gas which is in particular inert, under rough vacuum conditions or ambient pressure conditions or overpressure conditions, in order to react chemically with said layer with selenium or sulphur in a targeted manner; the substrate is heated by means of forced convection by at least one gas conveying device and/or the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past on the substrate by means of forced convection by at least one gas conveying device in the processing chamber, in particular in a homogeneous manner. The invention furthermore relates to a processing device for implementing a method of this type.

The invention relates to a method for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, in particular flat substrates, containing at least one conducting, semiconducting and/or insulating layer, in which a substrate which is provided with at least one metal layer and/or with at least one layer containing metal, in particular a stack of substrates, each of which is provided with at least one metal layer and/or with at least one layer which contains metal, is inserted into a processing chamber and heated to a predetermined substrate temperature.

A method of this type is known in general and is used for example in the solar cell industry in the production of CIS solar cells. In particular, a known method of this type for producing I-III-VI connection semiconductor layers, the chalcopyrite semiconductor layers, is used. For this purpose, for example, substrates comprising a molybdenum thin layer, such as glass substrates, are respectively provided with a precursor thin metal layer comprising copper, gallium and indium and then heated in the processing chamber according to a predetermined temperature profile while being subjected to a feed of H₂Se and H₂S. In one variant, substrates comprising a molybdenum thin layer are respectively provided with a precursor thin metal layer comprising copper, gallium, indium and selenium, and then heated in the processing chamber according to a predetermined temperature profile while being subjected to a feed of H₂S. Due to a reaction of the precursor metal layers with the selenium containing H₂Se and the sulphur contained in the H₂S, Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)₂ semiconductor layers, or chalcopyrite semiconductor layers, are formed on the substrates. This process is also known as selenization or sulphurization.

The use of H₂Se and H₂S is problematic in the sense that H₂Se and H₂S are not only expensive to procure, but are also toxic and highly explosive gases. These gases are therefore a significant economic factor in the mass production of CIS solar cells, not only due to their procurement costs, but also as a result of the increased safety measures and the costs entailed in disposing of the related discharge gases. This aside, due to their toxicity and explosivity, the safety risk presented by these gases for production staff should not be underestimated, even when preventive measures are taken.

The object of the invention is to provide a safer and more economic method for producing a semiconductor layer, in particular a chalcopyrite semiconductor layer, or a buffer layer on a semiconductor layer.

In order to attain the object, a method for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, in particular flat substrates, containing at least one conducting, semiconducting and/or insulating layer is provided, in which a substrate which is provided with at least one metal layer and/or with at least one layer containing metal, in particular a stack of substrates, each of which is provided with at least one metal layer and/or with at least one layer which contains metal, is inserted into a processing chamber and heated to a predetermined substrate temperature;

elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided past on the or on every metal layer and/or layer containing metal, from a source located inside and/or outside the processing chamber (internal or external source), in particular by means of a carrier gas which is in particular inert, under rough vacuum conditions or ambient pressure conditions or overpressure conditions, in order to react chemically with said layer with selenium or sulphur in a targeted manner;

the substrate is heated by means of forced convection by at least one gas conveying device and/or the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past on the substrate by means of forced convection by at least one gas conveying device in the processing chamber, in particular in a homogeneous manner.

In the spirit of the present invention, the metal layer and/or layer containing metal to be treated with selenium and/or sulphur are also referred to below as the precursor layer. The metal layer contains in particular one element or several elements selected from aluminium, silver, zinc, magnesium, molybdenum, copper, gallium and indium, wherein copper, gallium and/or indium are preferred.

In the spirit of the present invention, the layer which contains metal comprises i) at least one metal, e.g. In, Zn and/or Mg, and a non-metallic element of the periodic table of elements, in particular sulphur and/or selenium and if appropriate, chlorine, oxygen or hydrogen, and/or ii) at least one chemical compound of a metal, e.g. In, Zn and/or Mg, with a non-metallic element of the periodic table of elements, in particular sulphur and/or selenium and if appropriate, chlorine, oxygen or hydrogen. The layer containing metal thus also comprises those embodiments in which alongside at least one metal, at least one chemical compound of a metal and/or a non-metallic element are also present. Furthermore, the layer containing metal also comprises in the spirit of the present invention those layers in which no pure metal is present, but solely at least one chemical compound of a metal, if appropriate together with non-metallic elements and/or compounds.

With the method according to the invention, at least one substrate which is provided with a precursor layer and in particular a stack of substrates which are in each case provided with a precursor layer is inserted into a processing chamber and heated to a predetermined substrate temperature. The method according to the invention is characterized by the fact that elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided past from a first or second source located inside and/or outside the processing chamber by means of a carrier gas which is in particular inert under rough vacuum conditions to overpressure conditions on the or on each precursor layer, in order for said layer to react chemically in a targeted manner with selenium or sulphur. In this context, process conditions are designated as rough vacuum conditions in which processing pressures ranging from ambient pressure to 1 mbar are present. The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention can in general also be used with overpressure, however.

According to the invention, the selenium required to react with the precursor layer or the sulphur required to react with the precursor layer is thus not provided by H₂Se or H₂S gas, but by elementary selenium or sulphur vapor, i.e. vapor containing elementary selenium or vapor containing elementary sulphur. According to the invention, therefore, the use of H₂Se and H₂S is not required. The method according to the invention can nevertheless permit the use of H₂Se and/or H₂S, during or after the selenization stage with elementary selenium vapor or before, during or after the sulphurization stage with elementary sulphur vapor. In particular, in one embodiment of the method according to the invention, H₂Se and/or H₂S can be added before and/or during the selenization stage with elementary selenium, in particular at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 350° C., preferably at temperatures ranging from 100° C. to 300° C.

In contrast to H₂Se and H₂S, elementary selenium vapor and elementary sulphur vapor are neither highly toxic, nor explosive, and are thus significantly less hazardous to handle, so that no complex and costly safety measures are required. Furthermore, elementary selenium vapor and elementary sulphur vapor are easy to obtain e.g. from a melted selenium or sulphur mass. As a result, the method according to the invention can be conducted at a significantly lower economic cost and with a far higher degree of safety.

Advantageous embodiments of the method are described in the subclaims, the description and the drawings.

In one embodiment, it is provided that the gas conveying device is an injection nozzle or a ventilator. Furthermore, it can be provided that the gas conveying device, in particular the ventilator, is preferably arranged in the area of one of the front sides of the processing goods stack, and/or is affixed to a drive shaft which extends into the processing chamber.

In order to attain the required vapor pressure of the selenium or sulphur vapor, in particular the first source is preferably maintained at an increased source temperature. Here, the source temperature is preferably lower than the temperature in the processing chamber, and in particular, lower than a minimum substrate temperature at any point in time during the guiding past of the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor on the substrate. As a result, it applies for every substrate temperature in the processing chamber that the partial pressure of the selenium or sulphur is lower than the vapor pressure of the selenium or sulphur with the respective substrate temperature. Thus, a condensation of the selenium or sulphur vapor on the substrate is avoided, which is an important requirement for a homogeneous reaction to a semiconductor layer. Condensation of selenium vapor on the substrate, for example, would lead to drying of the selenium and thus result in a lateral, inhomogeneous layer thickness distribution of the selenium and a lateral, inhomogeneous reaction procedure.

According to the invention, the substrate is heated using forced convection and/or the selenium or sulphur vapor is guided past on the substrate by means of forced convection. When the substrate is heated by means of forced convection, the temperature distribution is particularly homogeneous across the substrate. In other words, temperature fluctuations are minimized across the substrate.

When elementary selenium or sulphur vapor is guided past on the substrate by means of forced convection, a particularly homogeneous progress of the reaction of the selenium or sulphur with the precursor layer is achieved across the surface of the substrate.

According to a further embodiment, a feed line through which the elementary selenium or sulphur vapor is guided on the route from the first source to the substrate, and/or a wall which defines the processing chamber is maintained at a temperature which is equal to or greater than the source temperature. This ensures that the selenium or sulphur vapor does not condense on the feed line or on the processing chamber wall, but solely reacts chemically in a targeted manner with the precursor layer located on the substrate.

A bubbler comprising fluid selenium or fluid sulphur through which the carrier gas is guided can be used as a source, or a crucible filled with fluid selenium or sulphur can be used which comprises a side which enables the selenium or sulphur to evaporate, and on which the carrier gas is guided past. A source of this type is not only characterized by a simple and cost-effective structure, but can also be integrated into already existent processing plants, so that existing processing plants can be upgraded in a simple manner in order to implement the method according to the invention. Sources of this type can be located both inside the processing chamber and outside the processing chamber. Suitable sources in the spirit of the present invention also take the form of elementary selenium and/or elementary sulphur inserted in solid form into the processing chamber, for example in the form of pellets or powder. In this case, a feed line or feed device is required in the processing chamber, with which the elementary selenium which is provided in solid form or the elementary sulphur which is provided in solid form can be transferred, preferably under inert conditions such as with protective gas (argon, nitrogen etc.), for example into one or more crucibles which are attached in the processing chamber. These crucibles are preferably heatable in a controlled manner, and it is preferably possible that protection gas from a controllable flow and a controllable temperature can flow through or against them, so that the vaporization rate can be influenced in a targeted manner, and by measuring the selenium or sulphur partial pressure, said pressure can be precisely controlled and adjusted in the processing chamber. Accordingly, it can be provided that selenium and/or sulphur is inserted in solid form via a transfer device into the processing chamber, wherein said transfer device can take the form of a second feed line or a sluice chamber. Here, a procedure is advantageous in which pre-heated carrier gas is fed via the second and/or at least one third feed line to the internal selenium and/or sulphur source.

In one embodiment, accordingly the solid selenium and/or the solid sulphur is or are converted into the vapor phase by means of the heating device located in the processing chamber, with the aid of the forced convection. In a further embodiment, an exchangeable crucible, known as a shuttle, is fed outside the processing chamber with the elementary selenium which is provided in solid form or with the elementary sulphur which is provided in solid form, and is transferred to the processing chamber, preferably under inert conditions, for example under protective gas (argon, nitrogen etc.), e.g. with the aid of the forenamed transfer device or sluice chamber. These crucibles are also preferably heatable in a controlled manner, and it is preferably possible that protection gas from a controllable flow and a controllable temperature can flow through or against them, so that the vaporization rate can be influenced in a targeted manner, and by measuring the selenium or sulphur partial pressure, said pressure can be precisely controlled and adjusted in the processing chamber. Advantageously, the chemical reaction of the selenium and/or the sulphur with the precursor layer, i.e. the selenization or sulphurization, is conducted with a pressure in the processing chamber ranging from approximately 1 mbar to approximately 1,030 mbar. These processing pressures are on the one hand so low that the process gases, in particular, the selenium vapor or sulphur vapor, cannot escape from the processing chamber. At the same time, these process pressures are so high, however, that these processes are not high or fine vacuum processes in the real sense. Thus, lower requirements are necessary for the vacuum technology and in particular the pump capacity of existing pumps, as a result of which the method overall can be implemented even more cost-effectively.

Both the selenium and the sulphur vapor pressure can lie within a range of 1e-7 mbar and 1,000 mbar, depending on the processing temperature. Typically, the selenium or sulphur partial pressure lies within a range of approximately 0.001 mbar and approximately 100 mbar.

According to a special embodiment of the method according to the invention, which is particularly suitable for producing a I-III-VI connection semiconductor layer and chalcopyrite semiconductor layer, the method comprises the following stages:

-   -   Increase of the substrate temperature with a heating rate of         approximately 5° C./min to 600° C./min, preferably 10° C./min to         60° C./10 mins, from a first temperature, in particular room         temperature, to a temperature ranging from approximately 400° C.         to 600° C., preferably 400° C. to 500° C.     -   Feeding of elementary selenium vapor into the processing chamber         from a substrate temperature ranging from 100° C. to 350° C., in         particular between 120° C. and 300° C., if appropriate, followed         by the feeding of elementary sulphur vapor into the processing         chamber, and here if appropriate, the subsequent adjustment of         the selenium source temperature to a required partial pressure,         preferably between 0.001 mbar and 100 mbar     -   Maintenance of the substrate temperature in a range from 400° C.         to 600° C. for 1 min to 120 mins, preferably for 10 mins to 30         mins     -   While maintaining the substrate temperature in a range from         400° C. to 600° C., shutdown of the feed of elementary selenium         vapor, and if appropriate, of sulphur vapor into the processing         chamber after a first predetermined time period, in particular         after a time period of between 1 and 120 mins, preferably         between 1 and 60 mins     -   At least a one-time pumping out and/or rinsing of the processing         chamber, in particular with at least one inert gas     -   Feeding of elementary sulphur vapor into the processing chamber     -   Continued increase of the substrate temperature with a heating         rate of approximately 50° C./min to 600° C./min, preferably 10°         C./min to 60° C./min, to a temperature ranging from         approximately 450° C. to 650° C., preferably 500° C. to 550° C.,         and during this procedure, if appropriate, an adjustment of the         sulphur source temperature to a required partial pressure,         preferably between 0.001 mbar and 100 mbar     -   Maintenance of the substrate temperature in a range from 450° C.         to 650° C. for 1 min to 120 mins, preferably for 1 to 60 mins,         and particularly preferably for 10 mins to 30 mins     -   While maintaining the substrate temperature in a range from         450° C. to 650° C., shutdown of the feed of elementary sulphur         vapor into the processing chamber after a second predetermined         time period, in particular after a time period of between 1 and         120 mins, preferably between 1 and 60 mins     -   Cooling of the substrate, and     -   Pumping out and/or rinsing of the processing chamber, in         particular with at least one inert gas

Furthermore, it can be provided that in a first stage, elementary selenium vapor is guided past on the or each precursor layer (selenization stage), and that in a subsequent stage, elementary sulphur is guided past on the or each precursor layer (sulphurization stage).

Advantageously, already during the selenization stage, e.g. from a substrate temperature of between 120° C. and 600° C., elementary sulphur vapor is fed into the processing chamber, in particular in such a manner that a partial pressure ratio of selenium to sulphur is created between 0 and 0.9, or preferably of sulphur to selenium ranging from above 0 to 0.9, preferably between 0.1 and 0.3.

Furthermore, in one embodiment with the method according to the invention, coated, in particular planar substrates, in particular pre-coated glass substrates, can be used for the production of semiconductor layers, preferably chalcopyrite semiconductor layers, preferably I-III-VI connection semiconductor layers and in particular Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)₂ semiconductor layers, for example for solar cells.

Although to date, the method according to the invention has been described primarily in connection with the selenization or sulphurization of a precursor layer for the production of a chalcopyrite semiconductor layer, it should be noted that the method according to the invention is also suitable for the production of other semiconductor layers. Thus, the semiconductor layer to be produced can also be a buffer layer, for example an In₂S₃ layer or a layer comprising a phase mixture of indium sulphides and indium selenides, e.g. In(S,Se)₃. In these cases, the precursor layer would comprise indium and/or a compound of indium and one or more elements, selected from oxygen and/or chlorine, and in particular, sulphur and/or selenium. This precursor layer can for example be obtained using thin layer separation methods and PVD methods known to persons skilled in the art, such as cathode sputtering, evaporating or CVD methods. Specifically, a thin layer for indium or an indium-sulphur compound can be separated on a I-II-V semiconductor layer formed on molybdenum, in order that during sulphurization, an In₂S₃ semiconductor buffer layer, or during sulphurization and selenization, in this order or in reverse order or simultaneously, an In₂(S,Se)₃ layer is formed on the I-III-V semiconductor. Accordingly, however, it is also possible that the precursor layer contains one or more elements, selected from In, Zn or Mg, as a result of which accordingly ZnS or MgS layers or mixed forms can be formed for example, which can for example contain indium sulphide and zinc sulphide.

When producing a buffer layer which lies on a I-III-V semiconductor layer with the method according to the invention, substrate temperatures should regularly be selected which lie below those used during the formation of I-III-V semiconductor layers in accordance with the method according to the invention. As a result, an unwanted modification of the surface of the I-III-V semiconductor layer can be avoided. Preferably, the substrate temperatures are here limited to levels lower than or equal to 350° C., preferably to lower than or equal to 250° C. Furthermore, it is preferred when for the production of the buffer layer, temperatures greater than 150° C., preferably greater than or equal to 160° C. are selected.

It generally applies to selenium and sulphur source temperatures that these are preferably maintained lower than or equal to the substrate temperature during each phase of the method. In this case, the maximum achievable vapor pressures with the corresponding maximum process temperatures can be taken from the sulphur and selenium vapor pressure curves.

Depending on the process implementation or the semiconductor layer to be produced, it can here be advantageous when at least one reactive gas, such as hydrogen, H₂Se or H₂S in particular, is furthermore added.

A further object of the invention is a processing device for implementing the method according to the invention, comprising an evacuable processing chamber for receiving at least one substrate to be processed, in particular a stack of substrates to be processed a heating device for the in particular convective heating of the substrate to be processed a first source for elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor located outside the processing chamber and which is connected to the processing chamber via a first feed line and/or a second source for elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor located inside the processing chamber, and a gas conveying device for generating a gas flow circuit, in particular by means of forced convection in the processing chamber.

The processing device according to the invention comprises in an embodiment as a gas conveying device an injection nozzle or a ventilator. Here, it can preferably be provided that the gas conveying device, in particular at least one ventilator, is arranged or arrangeable in the area of one of the front sides of the substrate stack.

The processing device according to the invention is in one preferred embodiment furthermore equipped with at least one tempering device, in order to maintain at a predetermined temperature at least one partial section of a wall which defines the processing chamber, in particular the entire wall, and if appropriate, at least one section of the feed line respectively.

The processing device according to the invention comprises an evacuable processing chamber for receiving at least one substrate to be processed and in particular, a stack of substrates to be processed, a heating device for the in particular convective heating of the substrate to be processed, a first source for elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor which is located outside the processing chamber and which is connected to the processing chamber via a feed line, and/or a second source for selenium and/or sulphur vapor located inside the processing chamber, if appropriate, a tempering device, in order to maintain at a predetermined temperature at least a partial section of a wall which defines the processing chamber and at least one section of the feed line respectively, and at least one gas conveying device in order to achieve enforced convection.

Due to the tempering device, the processing chamber wall and the feed line can be maintained at a temperature at which the material of the processing chamber wall or the feed line does not corrode under the influence of the processing gas atmosphere. For example, it is known that a corrosive attack increases significantly with the temperature, and at temperatures in the range below 250° C., stainless steel hardly corrodes at all in a noticeable manner in a processing gas atmosphere containing selenium or sulphur. Due to the known vapor pressure curves for selenium and sulphur, it cannot be anticipated that selenium or sulphur condenses under the processing conditions on the tempered and thermally insulated walls of the processing chamber. Due to the tempering, the processing chamber is to be classified in terms of type as a heating wall reactor, which is stable in the long term and which emits no particles which damage the process. Furthermore, due to the tempering it is ensured that the process can be controlled very well, since in general, components of the processing gas which are in vapor or gas form and in particular, selenium or sulphur, are neither condensed out in an uncontrollable manner during the processing sequence, nor are they fed back into the process in an uncontrollable manner.

The processing chamber can be formed from a metallic material. This means that the processing chamber can produce not only at the same processing capacity, but above all also with a larger chamber volume at a lower cost than a quartz tube, for example. While quartz tube diffusion ovens can only be produced with a diameter of up to 80 cm, a processing chamber formed from a metallic material can be comparatively easily adapted to larger processing goods formats, i.e. substrate surfaces, by increasing the height and width accordingly.

Advantageously, on the inner side of the processing chamber wall, a thermal insulation material is provided which preferably maintains a consistent reaction under processing conditions. On the one hand, the insulation material forms an additional protection for the processing chamber wall, e.g. against corrosion, and on the other, achieves a certain thermal decoupling of the processing chamber wall from the gas atmosphere in the processing chamber, so that the temperature of the gas atmosphere can be regulated more precisely. The thermal decoupling is essentially based on the lower specific heat capacity, the lower thermal conductivity and the emissivity, which in some cases is also lower, as is typical for insulation materials. Additionally, the thermal insulation material prevents the processing chamber wall from being heated above the predetermined temperature by the hot processing gas, or the heat discharge from becoming too great. The thermal insulation material is particularly advantageous with forced convection by the gas conveying device, since in this manner, the heat discharge is significantly contained due to an otherwise good heat transfer.

The insulation material can for example be a ceramic, a glass ceramic, graphite, including graphite foam or fibre, e.g. Carbon Fibre Enforced Carbon (CFC) or graphite felt, or an insulation material containing ceramic fibres, e.g. consisting of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ fibres.

According to one embodiment of the processing device, the source comprises a heatable and evacuable source chamber, in which a crucible is arranged with is filled with melted selenium or sulphur mass, and a line for in particular pre-heated carrier gas, in such a manner that the carrier gas is either guided through according to the bubbler principle through the melted selenium or sulphur mass, or is guided away over a surface of the melted selenium or sulphur mass. The heatable crucible and the heatable line preferably comprise a material which remains stable in selenium or sulphur, and are formed e.g. of ceramic, quartz or corrosion-resistant special alloys.

In the processing chamber of the device according to the invention, a gas conveying device is furthermore provided to generate a gas flow circuit in the processing chamber. The gas conveying device preferably comprises at least one ventilator. The ventilator can be an axial or radial fan, for example.

The ventilator can comprise a material which remains stable, and can be attached to a drive shaft which extends into the processing chamber and which preferably also comprises a material which remains stable. Due to the use of the material which remains stable, the ventilator and/or the drive shaft are protected against attack by reactive components of the processing gas, and in particular are protected against corrosion.

Advantageously, the ventilator is arranged in the area of one of the front sides of the substrate stack. This arrangement of the ventilators contributes towards a particularly homogeneous through flow of a substrate stack with processing gas, and thus to a particularly homogeneous deposition of the layers and layer reaction.

In order to further increase the flow speed and the homogeneity of the gas flow, an additional ventilator is advantageously arranged in the area of the other front side of the substrate stack. With this arrangement of two ventilators, preferably the one ventilator is designed in such a manner that it conveys the processing gas into the substrate stack, while the other ventilator conveys the processing gas out of the substrate stack. In other words, the one ventilator operates in “impulse mode,” while the other operates in suction mode.

The ventilator or drive shaft material which remains stable can for example be a ceramic material such as silicon nitride or silicon carbide.

Preferably, the drive of the ventilator, or the drives of the ventilators, can also operate in the inverse direction of rotation, so that the gas flow circuit can be reversed. As an option, radial ventilators can be attached to both sides of the substrate stack, with which the gas flow direction can be reversed by switching on the previously shut down ventilator, and shutting down the ventilator which was previously switched on.

According to yet another embodiment, the heating device is arranged in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device, in order to heat up a gas located in the processing chamber, in particular the carrier gas which is displaced by the elementary selenium or sulphur vapor. In other words, the heating device is arranged inside the processing chamber, so that a heat source located outside the processing chamber, such as an infrared radiation source, is no longer required in order to heat the processing gas. Thus, it is not necessary to optimize the processing chamber with regard to infrared radiation, rendering the structure of the processing significantly more simple, as well as enabling the use of a metallic material to produce the processing chamber.

The heating device can comprise at least one corrosion-resistant heating element. In particular, the heating device can be designed as a plate stack of resistance heating elements. For example, graphite or silicon carbide heating elements can be used here as plate-type meander heaters or as heating rods. Depending on the design of the gas flow speed, the heating capacity and the surface of the heating matrix, heating rates of the goods to be processed can be achieved ranging from several degrees Celsius per minute to several degrees Celsius per second.

According to yet another embodiment, a cooling device is arranged in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device, in order to cool down a gas located in the processing chamber, in particular the carrier gas which is displaced by the elementary selenium or sulphur vapor.

The cooling device can comprise at least one cooling element and in particular, a plate stack cooler or tube bundle cooler. The cooling element can for example be maintained at a temperature of e.g. approximately 200° C. by means of an oil tempering device. Depending on the gas flow speed, the cooler capacity and the surface of the cooler arrangement, cooling rates can be achieved on the goods to be processed of up to several degrees Celsius, in particular up to several tens of degrees Celsius per minute.

According to yet another embodiment, gas diversion elements are provided, via which the gas flow circuit can be diverted in such a manner that either the heating device or a cooling device is arranged in the gas flow circuit. When set accordingly, the gas diversion elements enable a particularly rapid heating or cooling of the goods to be processed to a required temperature, and thus ultimately enable the realization of almost any temperature profiles required in the processing chamber.

In addition to the gas conveying device, the processing device can comprise a gas guidance device which retains a substrate staple and which is arranged in the processing chamber in such a manner that at least one part of the gas flow circuit generated runs through the gas guidance device. The gas conveying device and the gas guidance device provide on the one hand a particularly homogeneous heating and cooling of the substrate stack via forced convection, and on the other, provide a particularly homogeneous gas distribution and as a result, ultimately a particularly homogeneous layer formation, e.g. of a chalcopyrite semiconductor, on the substrates.

The combination of the gas conveying device, the gas guidance device and the heating device enables an increase in heating and cooling speed, as a result of which shorter processing times and thus a higher throughput of goods to be processed are possible.

The gas guidance device can comprise at least one upper separation plate which defines a first chamber area in the processing chamber above the gas guidance device which retains the substrate stack, and a lower separation plate which defines a second chamber area in the processing chamber below the gas guidance device which retains the substrate stack. Additionally, the gas guidance device can also comprise two side separation plates.

Preferably, the gas guidance device comprises at least one distribution device for the even surface distribution of the gas flow, wherein the substrate stack is preferably arranged upstream of the distribution device. The distribution device can for example be a plate which is equipped with slits and/or holes. The distribution device and the gas guidance device preferably consist of a material which remains stable, e.g. a glass ceramic, silicon carbide, quartz or silicon nitride. In a similar manner to the processing chamber wall, the surfaces of the gas guidance device can also be equipped with a thermal insulation material which is preferably stable under processing conditions. In this manner, the gas guidance device is also at least to a large extent thermally decoupled from the gas atmosphere in the processing chamber, so that the processing device, in particular in the dynamic case of a set temperature change, comprises a lower thermal mass overall, as a result of which the temperature of the processing gas in the processing chamber can be regulated even faster and more precisely. Due to its stability against reactive components of the processing gas, the insulation material also forms an additional protection for the gas guidance device, e.g. against corrosion.

In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided that the first source comprises a heatable and evacuable source chamber, in which a crucible filled with melted selenium or sulphur mass is arranged or arrangeable, and a line for in particular pre-heated carrier gas, in such a manner that the carrier gas is either guided through or can be guided through the melted selenium or sulphur mass according to the bubbler principle, or is guided away from or can be guided away from the melted selenium or sulphur mass, wherein the crucible and the line preferably comprise material which remains stable in selenium or sulphur, and in particular are formed from ceramic, quartz or corrosion-resistant special alloys or metals with corrosion-resistant coatings.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the heating device is arranged or arrangeable in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device, in order to heat a gas located in the processing chamber; and/or a cooling device for cooling down a gas located in the processing chamber is arranged or arrangeable in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device; and/or gas diversion elements are provided through which the gas flow circuit can be diverted in such a manner that either the heating device or a cooling device is arranged or arrangeable in the gas flow circuit.

In a preferred embodiment, devices according to the invention can furthermore be characterized by at least one device for the transfer into the processing chamber of solid selenium and/or solid sulphur which are in particular dosed in advance. Here, it can be provided that the transfer device comprises a second feed line and/or a sluice chamber, in particular containing a retaining device for solid selenium or solid sulphur.

A further object of the invention is additionally a processing plant for processing stacked substrates with at least one processing device, wherein the processing device comprises a loading opening, through which the substrate stack can be inserted into the processing chamber, and a discharge opening, through which the substrate stack can be removed from the processing chamber.

Advantageously, the processing plant comprises a further processing device which is arranged adjacent relative to the one processing device, and comprises a loading opening which is aligned with the discharge opening of the one processing device. The loading opening and/or the discharge opening can here be closed by a door, in particular a plate valve.

Preferably, the additional processing device is a cooling device which comprises a cooling facility, and which is arranged in a gas flow circuit which is generated by a gas conveying device in an evacuable processing chamber of the cooling device. Additionally, the processing plant can comprise a sluice chamber which is upstream of the first processing device in terms of the through-flow direction, with or without convective pre-heating.

Due to the adjacent arrangement of several processing devices, the processing plant forms a through-flow plant for the stack of goods to be processed. To a certain extent, it is therefore a batch inline plan, which combines the advantages of continuous through-flow operation with those of batch operation.

It is a matter of course that the number of processing devices is not limited to two. To a far greater extent, the processing plant can for example comprise a number n of processing devices and a number m of cooling devices, wherein n and m are natural numbers, and wherein for the simplest variant, only a batch-inline combination processing plant n=m=1 applies.

The invention will now be described below in purely exemplary form with reference to an advantageous embodiment and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a processing device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows vapor pressure curves of selenium and sulphur as a function of the source temperature;

FIG. 3 shows the time progression of the substrate temperature and the source temperature during a method implemented in the device shown in FIG. 1 for producing a chalcopyrite semiconductor;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic longitudinal view of the processing device along the line A-A shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic longitudinal view of a processing plant with a processing device of the type shown in FIG. 1 and a cooling device shown adjacent to it; and

FIG. 6 shows a schematic longitudinal view of an alternative embodiment of a processing plant with a sluice chamber upstream of the processing device and a cooling device downstream of the processing device;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a processing device according to the invention;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a further alternative embodiment of a processing device according to the invention; and

FIG. 9 shows a detailed view of a section of the device according to the invention shown in FIG. 9 in a schematic transverse view.

FIG. 1 shows a processing device 10 according to the invention, which is provided for the formation of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)₂ semiconductor layers on substrates 12 which are to be used for the production of solar cells.

The processing device 10 comprises an evacuable processing chamber 14, which is limited by a processing chamber wall 16. The processing chamber wall 16 is formed from stainless steel and is maintained by a tempering device 18 at a temperature ranging from 150° C. to 250° C.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the tempering device 18 is formed by tube lines 20 which are attached to the outer side of the processing chamber 14, and in particular are welded to the processing chamber wall 16 and which encircle the processing chamber 14 in a meander form, through which a suitable hot oil flows. As an alternative or additionally, the hot oil can however also flow through channels (not shown) which are accordingly embedded into the processing wall 16. Additionally, the outer side of the processing chamber wall 16 can be equipped with a thermally insulating material.

On an inner side of the processing chamber wall 16, the processing chamber 14 is at least approximately completely cladded with a corrosion-resistant, low-particle, thermal insulation material 22. The insulation material 22 can be a ceramic, a glass ceramic, graphite or graphite foam, including a fibre material, e.g. Carbon Fibre Enforced Carbon (CFC) or graphite felt, or an insulation material containing ceramic fibres, e.g. consisting of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ fibres.

A gas guidance device 24 is arranged in a central area of the processing chamber 14. The gas guidance device 24 comprises an upper separating plate 26 and a lower separating plate 28. In addition to the upper and lower separating plate 26, 28, a front and a rear separating plate (not shown) can be provided. Generally, however, the front and rear separating plate are not present, since their function is fulfilled by the thermally insulated chamber side walls, including the doors or vacuum valves arranged there. The upper and lower separating plate 26, 28 and if appropriate, the front and rear separating plate are preferably formed from a corrosion-resistant material, such as CFC, from a ceramic material, such as silicon carbide or silicon nitride, or a glass ceramic material.

All separating plates are also cladded with a layer of the forenamed thermal insulation material 22.

The gas guidance device 24 furthermore comprises a first distributor device 30, which is arranged in the area of a first (in FIG. 1 on the left) front side of the gas guidance device 24 between the separating plates 26, 28, and/or a second distributor device 32, which is arranged in the area of a second (in FIG. 1 on the right) front side of the gas guidance device 24 between the separating plates 26, 28. The distributor devices 30, 32 are respectively made of a corrosion-resistant material such as CFC, silicon carbide, silicon nitride or a glass ceramic material. In the present exemplary embodiment, the distributor devices 30, 32 are in each case a plate which is equipped with a plurality of vertical slits 33 which are in particular aligned with the substrates 12. As an alternative or an addition, the plate, or each plate, can also contain a plurality of holes.

The upper and lower separating plate 26, 28, the first and second distributor device 30, 32 and if appropriate, also the front and rear separating plate, not shown, form a housing for the substrates 12, which is designed at least approximately with sealed gaps, so that a gas flow 35 which flows through the gas guidance device 24 is guided in the housing and cannot escape from it through the side.

In an upper chamber area 34 located between the upper separating plate 26 and the processing chamber wall 16, a heating device 36 is arranged, for example a silicon carbide meander heating matrix, while in a lower chamber area 38 located between the lower separating plate 28 and the processing chamber wall 16, a cooling device 40 is arranged, for example a plate stack cooler or a tube bundle cooler. As an alternative, the cooling device 40 can be arranged in the upper chamber area 34 and the heating device 36 can be arranged in the lower chamber area 38, or the heating and cooling devices can be arranged on top of each other in the upper or lower chamber area (not shown). In the latter case, only one separating plate and one pair of gas deflection elements are required. The separating plate is then arranged between the heating and cooling device, and the gas deflection elements are arranged on the front sides of the separating plate.

In the area of one end (in FIG. 1, the right end) of the heating device 36, a gas inlet device 42 is arranged which extends through the processing chamber wall 16 and which makes it possible to feed a processing gas 44 into the processing chamber 14 from outside, in the present exemplary embodiment, a gas comprising an elementary selenium or sulphur vapor. Although the gas inlet device 42 can generally be arranged at any point on the processing chamber 14, the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is particularly advantageous, since the processing gas 44 which is guided through the gas inlet device 42 during normal operation first flows through the heating device 36 and is thus heated directly after entering the processing chamber 14. The gas inlet device 42 is connected via a feed line 100 to a source 102 for elementary selenium vapor and to a source 104 for elementary sulphur vapor. The source 102 for elementary selenium vapor and the source 104 for elementary sulphur vapor is respectively assigned to a valve 106 or 108 which is arranged in the feed line 100, which makes it possible to selectively switch on the source 102 for elementary selenium vapor or the source 104 for elementary sulphur vapor, and thus to selectively feed elementary selenium vapor and/or elementary sulphur vapor to the processing chamber 14.

The source 102 for elementary selenium vapor comprises an evacuable source chamber 110, in which a crucible 114 is arranged which is filled with melted selenium mass 112. Furthermore, the source 102 comprises a line 116 for a pre-heated inert carrier gas 118, such as nitrogen or argon. The pre-heating can be regulated in such a manner that the carrier gas temperature does not fall below the crucible temperature.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the line 116 is arranged in such a manner that the carrier gas 118 is guided through the melted selenium mass 112 according to the bubbler principle. However, alternatively, it would also be possible to arrange the line 116 in such a manner that the carrier gas is guided away over the surface of the melted selenium mass 112. Ultimately, the most important factor in the configuration of the source 102 is the fact that the carrier gas is guided through the source 102 in such a manner that it transports vaporizing elementary selenium vapor from the melted selenium mass 112 into the processing chamber 14.

In order to ensure sufficient vaporization of the elementary selenium from the melted selenium mass 112, i.e. sufficient vapor pressure, the melted selenium mass 112 is maintained at a predetermined selenium source temperature by means of a heating device not shown. Alternatively, a temperature profile of the source can be run which enables the selenium partial pressure progression required for the process.

As can be seen in the selenium vapor pressure curve shown in FIG. 2 (curve a), significant vapor pressures greater than 1 ton (1 ton=1.3 mbar) are only achieved with a selenium source temperature of approximately 360° C. and above. As will be explained in greater detail below, the selenization process can however be implemented under rough vacuum ambient pressure or overpressure conditions, e.g. with a processing chamber pressure or total pressure of at least 900 mbar.

With the exemplary embodiment presented, the necessary processing chamber pressure is primarily set by the pressure of the carrier gas 118, which transports the selenium vapor into the processing chamber 14 with a total pressure as the total of the carrier gas pressure and the selenium vapor pressure according to the source temperature. For example, with a total pressure of 900 mbar, the selenium partial pressure can be set to approximately 30 mbar (1 mbar=0.7501 Torr), whereby the selenium crucible temperature is set to approximately 450° C., the carrier gas is set to at least 450° C. and the temperature on the inner surfaces of the processing chamber 14 and in particular on the substrates 12 at no point falls below 450° C., in order to prevent selenium condensing out. The essential condition for a reproducible process which can be controlled highly effectively, the avoidance of a condensing out of the processing vapors, can be particularly successfully realised with the chamber arrangement according to the invention when forced convection is used.

The source 104 for elementary sulphur vapor comprises a structure which corresponds to the source 102, i.e. the source 104 also comprises an evacuable source chamber 110′, in which a crucible 114′ is arranged, which in this case contains melted sulphur mass 120, however. In the present exemplary embodiment, the source 104 also comprises a line 116′, in order to guide pre-heated carrier gas 118, e.g. nitrogen, through the melted sulphur mass 120. As with the source 102, the line 116′ of the source 104 can however also be arranged in such a manner that the carrier gas is guided away over a surface of the melted sulphur mass 120.

Furthermore, the melted sulphur mass 120 of the source 104 is maintained at a predetermined source temperature by means of a heating device not shown, in order to ensure sufficient vaporization of elementary sulphur vapor or to ensure sufficient vapor pressure. Alternatively, a temperature profile of the source can also be run here, which enables the sulphur partial pressure progression required for the process.

As can be seen in the sulphur vapor pressure curve shown in FIG. 2 (curve b), a vapor pressure of 30 mbar in the case of sulphur is already achieved with a sulphur source temperature of approximately 280° C. and above in contrast to selenium.

In a similar manner as with the source 102 for elementary selenium vapor, it is also the case that with the source 104 for elementary sulphur vapor, according to the exemplary embodiment shown, the necessary processing chamber pressure is primarily set by the pressure of the carrier gas 118, which transports the sulphur vapor into the processing chamber 14 with a total pressure as the total of the carrier gas pressure and the sulphur vapor pressure according to the source temperature.

In order to prevent the elementary selenium or sulphur vapor from condensing on the walls 122, 122′ of the source chambers 110, 110′, or on the wall of the feed line 100, the source chamber walls 122, 122′ and the feed line 100 are respectively maintained at a predetermined temperature by means of a tempering device 124, 124′, 126. Here, the temperatures of the gas inlet device 42, the feed line 100 and the source chamber wall 122 should be at least as high as those of the crucible 114 for elementary selenium vapor, and the temperatures of the feed line 100 and the source chamber wall 122′ should be at least as high as those of the crucible 114′ for elementary sulphur vapor.

Additionally, the crucible 114, the source chamber wall 122, the valve 106 and the line 116 of the source 102 comprise a material which remains stable in selenium, while the crucible 114′, the source chamber wall 122′, the valve 108 and the line 116′ of the source 104 comprise a material which remains stable in sulphur. Accordingly, the feed line 100 and the gas inlet device 42 are also formed of a material which remains stable in selenium and sulphur. The materials which remain stable can for example be a ceramic, quartz, a corrosion-resistant special alloy or a metal or metal alloy coated with a corrosion-resistant layer. The selenium and sulphur source and the feed and discharge lines are equipped with thermally insulating, gas-tight housings (not shown), which prevent selenium and sulphur from escaping should a breakage of the corrosion-resistant material occur. The space between the housing and these corrosion-resistant materials can e.g. be coated with nitrogen in order to prevent air from entering the processing chamber. In order to monitor a potential leak at the selenium or sulphur source, the nitrogen coating can be pressure monitored.

As is shown in FIG. 1, in the area of the first front side of the gas guidance device 24, at least one first ventilator 46 is upstream of the first distribution device 30, which is driven by a first drive shaft 48 which extends through the processing chamber wall 16. On the opposite side of the gas guidance device 24, two second ventilators 50 are arranged in the area of the second distributor device 32, which are driven by the second drive shafts 52 which extend through the processing chamber wall 16. However, the arrangement can also be designed with ventilators on only one side, e.g. with ventilators 50.

Both the first and second ventilators 46, 50 and the first and second drive shafts 48, 52 are made of a corrosion-resistant material, such as a ceramic material, in particular silicon nitride or silicon carbide, or a material such as a metal or metal alloy which is covered with a corrosion-resistant coating. The first ventilators 46 are driven in such a manner that they convey gas into the gas guidance device 24, while the second ventilators 50 are at the same time operated in such a manner that they convey the gas out of the gas guidance device 24. Due to the operation of the ventilators 46, 50, a gas flow circuit is thus generated which in the view shown in FIG. 1 is oriented in a counter-clockwise direction. In other words, the processing gas 44 which is introduced into the processing chamber 14 through the gas inlet device 42 flows from right to left through the heating device 36, then downwards and from left to right through the gas guidance device 24 and then upwards and again from right to left through the heating device 36.

For additional control of the gas flow in the processing chamber 14, an upper pair of reversible gas deflection elements 54 and a lower pair of reversible gas deflection elements 56 are provided. The upper gas deflection elements 54 are arranged in such a manner that they can permit, throttle or fully prevent the flow of processing gas 44 from the gas guidance device 24 into the upper chamber area 34, or from the upper chamber area 34 into the gas guidance device 24. The lower gas deflection elements 56 are accordingly arranged in such a manner that they can permit, throttle or fully prevent the flow of processing gas 44 from the gas guidance device 24 into the lower chamber area 38, or from the lower chamber area 38 into the gas guidance device 24.

In the situation shown in FIG. 1, the upper gas deflection elements 54 are in an open position, so that a circulation of the processing gas through the upper area of the processing chamber 14, i.e. through the gas guidance device 24 and the heating device 36 is possible.

The lower gas deflection elements 56 are by contrast in a closed position, i.e. they prevent a circulation of the processing gas 44 through the lower area of the processing chamber 14 and in particular through the cooling device 40. Therefore, in the situation shown in FIG. 1, only hot processing gas is circulating, which contributes to a maintenance of a required processing temperature, e.g. ranging from 400° C. to 600° C. If the upper gas deflection elements 54 are closed, however, and the lower gas deflection elements 56 are opened, the processing gas 44 flows through the cooling device 40, and the substrates 12 are cooled to a reduced temperature, e.g. 250° C.

In order to load the processing chamber 14, the processing device 10 comprises on its front side a loading opening 60 which is embedded in the processing chamber wall 16, which can be closed by a plate valve 62 or another suitable door (FIG. 4).

The substrates 12 to be processed are arranged in a carrier 64, e.g. on a carriage supported on wheels, vertically oriented and at a distance from each other, in order to form a substrate stack 66, also known as a batch. The substrate stack 66 is conveyed through the loading opening 60 into the processing chamber 14 and is placed in the gas guidance device 24. After the loading opening 60 has been closed, the processing chamber 14 is repeatedly evacuated and rinsed, in order to reduce as far as possible the oxygen and water content in the processing chamber 14.

In order to evacuate the processing chamber 14, the processing chamber wall 16 is equipped with a suitable suction opening (not shown), to which a pump system (also not shown) is connected. In order to rinse the processing chamber 14, a suitable gas inlet is provided in the processing chamber wall 16, through which a rinsing gas e.g. N₂, can be conveyed into the processing chamber 14.

As soon as the atmosphere in the processing chamber 14 comprises a suitable, defined initial state, the ventilators 46, 50 are switched on, the heating device 36 is activated and nitrogen gas is introduced into the processing chamber 14. The upper gas deflection elements 54 are at this point in time open and the lower gas deflection elements 56 are closed, as is shown in FIG. 1, in order to enable heating of the substrates 12. At the same time, the selenium source is maintained at a basic temperature of e.g. between 150° C. and 300° C. (curve A in FIG. 3).

As soon as the temperature in the processing chamber 14 has reached the required reaction start temperature, e.g. between room temperature and 400° C., and preferably between 150° C. and 300° C., the valve 106 which is assigned to the source 102 for elementary selenium vapor is opened and the elementary selenium vapor which is mixed with the carrier gas 118 is introduced into the processing chamber 14 through the gas inlet device 42 as processing gas 44. Here, the condition is maintained that a selenium condensation is avoided on the substrates. This is achieved due to the fact that the selenium partial pressure in the processing chamber does not exceed the selenium vapor pressure in accordance with the vapor pressure level at the current substrate temperature. Due to a measurement of the carrier gas pressure and the carrier gas temperature in the processing chamber before introducing the selenium vapor and due to knowledge of the processing chamber volume and measurement of the substrate temperature, the carrier gas flow through the selenium source and the selenium crucible temperature, the selenium partial pressure in the chamber can be determined e.g. by means of a computer, and transferred to the regulation device for the selenium source. This device then adjusts the flow of carrier gas 118, the crucible, source wall and feed and discharge tube temperatures, taking into account the vapor pressure curve. A sufficient condition for avoiding selenium condensation is e.g. that the selenium source temperature (curve A in FIG. 3) is not greater than the temperature in the processing chamber 14, and in particular is not greater than a minimum substrate temperature (curve B in FIG. 3).

In order to influence the strip distance of the I-III-VI connecting semiconductor in a targeted manner, and as a result, to increase the efficiency of the solar module, in this phase, sulphur can already be fed to the selenium flow by switching on the sulphur source in such a manner that preferably, a partial pressure ratio of sulphur to selenium of greater than 0 and up to 0.9, preferably ranging from 0.1 to 0.3, is created. Here, the sulphur source is regulated in the same manner as the regulation of the selenium source described above. After the processing gas 44 has flowed away over the substrates 12 for a specific time period, at a processing chamber pressure in the range of e.g. 100 mbar to ambient pressure, preferably between 700 mbar and 950 mbar, at a required temperature profile (FIG. 3), a required gas flow speed and at the required selenium or sulphur partial pressures, e.g. ranging from 0.001 mbar to 100 mbar, the feed of elementary selenium and sulphur vapor is stopped, if necessary, the ventilators 46, 50 are shut down and the processing chamber 14 is evacuated and/or rinsed at least once. Alternatively, only the feed of selenium vapor can be stopped. During this process, the selenium source temperature is reduced back to its initial temperature of e.g. 150° C. to 300° C.

The valve 108 which is assigned to the source 104 for elementary sulphur vapor is opened, and the elementary sulphur vapor which is mixed with the carrier gas 118 is conveyed into the processing chamber 14 as processing gas through the gas inlet device 42. In alternative operating mode, the valve 108 remains open. At the same time, the ventilators 46, 50 are switched back on, if they have previously been shut down. The processing temperature is further increased, e.g. to between 400° C. and 600° C., and is maintained at a set temperature for a specific time period (FIG. 3).

With a processing chamber pressure in the rough vacuum, ambient pressure or overpressure range, the required gas flow speed and sulphur concentration is regulated, with the latter ranging e.g. from 0.01 mbar to 100 mbar.

With this processing stage, the condition is also maintained that the sulphur partial pressure in the processing chamber does not exceed the sulphur vapor pressure with the corresponding substrate temperature, in order to avoid sulphur condensation. The regulations and measures given in the description for the selenium source also apply here. Here also, a sufficient measure that the sulphur source temperature (curve C in FIG. 3) is not greater than the temperature in the processing chamber 14, and in particular is not greater than a minimum substrate temperature (curve B in FIG. 3). The sulphur source temperature is for this purpose maintained or adjusted e.g. in the temperature range of between 100° C. and 450° C., preferably between 150° C. and 350° C.

After the heating procedure has been completed, the upper gas deflection elements 54 are brought into their closed position, and the lower gas deflection elements 56 are opened, so that the processing gas 44 is now guided through the cooling device 40 and the substrates 12 are cooled to a temperature e.g. ranging from 350° C. to 150° C., such as 250° C.

After renewed pumping of the processing chamber 14 and filling with nitrogen, the processing of the substrate stack 66 is completed, so that it can be removed from the processing chamber 14.

The heating and cooling rates, which can be achieved with the processing device 10 and which can be set in a broad range—e.g. from 5° C./min to 600° C./min—make it possible to implement the processing of the substrate stack 66 in the processing chamber 14, i.e. in the present exemplary embodiment, to selenise and sulphurise the metal-coated glass substrates 12 in less than 2 hours.

In general, it is possible to remove the processing goods stack 66 through the loading opening 60 on the front side 58 of the processing device 10.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the processing device 10 comprises on its rear side 68 a discharge opening 70 which is embedded in the processing chamber wall 16, and which in a similar manner to the loading opening 60 can be closed by a plate valve 72 or another suitable door (FIG. 4). The equipment of the processing device 10 with a loading opening 60 and a discharge opening 70 which is located opposite has the advantage that the processing device 10 is used as a through-flow device, and can be coupled with additional processing devices.

FIG. 5 shows a processing plant for example which comprises a processing device 10 and a cooling device 10′ which is connected on the outlet side. The cooling device 10′ is designed in a similar manner to the processing device 10, with the single difference that the upper chamber area 34 does not have the heating device 36 arranged inside it. Since the cooling device 10′ is solely provided to cool the glass substrates 12, and a cooling gas, in particular an inert gas such as nitrogen gas, is solely designed to flow through the gas guidance device 24′ and the lower chamber area 38′ which comprises the cooling device 40′, the upper and lower gas deflection elements 54, 46 are also not present. For the purpose of greater clarity, no second distributor devices 32 are shown.

The cooling device 10′ is coupled via a connection section 74 to the processing device 10 and is arranged next to said device in such a manner that a loading opening 60′ of the cooling device 10′ is aligned with the discharge opening 70 of the processing device 10. The loading opening 60′ of the cooling device 10′ can be opened and closed at the same time by a plate valve 62′ with or independently of the discharge opening 70 of the processing device 10.

Due to the arrangement of the processing device 10 and the cooling device 10′ in series, it is possible to move the processing goods stack 66 after processing has been completed in the processing device 10 through the discharge opening 70 and the discharge opening 60′ in the cooling device 74. The sluicing out of the processing goods stack 66 from the processing device 10 into the cooling device 74 can for example be conducted at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 200° C., particularly from 300° C. to 250° C.

After the processing goods stack 66 has been conveyed into the cooling device 10′, the plate valve 72 is again closed and the processing device 10 is fed a new processing goods stack 66.

At the same time, the first processing goods stack 66, which is now located in the cooling device 10′, can be further cooled, e.g. to 80° C., wherein by actuating the ventilators 50′, circulating nitrogen gas is guided past on the glass substrates 12 and through the cooling device 40′. After a final evacuation and final filling of the cooling device 10′, the processing goods stack 66 can be removed from the cooling device 10′ through a discharge opening 70′. The cooling device 10′ is now ready for retention of the next processing goods stack 66 from the processing device 10.

As is shown in FIG. 6, a sluice chamber 76 can be upstream of the processing device 10, which prevents ambient atmosphere from entering the processing chamber 14 during loading of the processing device 10 with a processing goods stack 66. In the sluice chamber 76, the processing goods stack 66 can be pre-heated from room temperature to a temperature ranging from 100° C. to 200° C., e.g. approximately 150° C.

Furthermore, a transport mechanism for moving the carrier 64 which supports the processing goods stack 66 through the processing plant can comprise an insertion mechanics system for inserting the carrier 64 and processing goods stack 66 from the sluice chamber 76 into the processing chamber 14, and a withdrawal mechanics system for withdrawing the carrier 64 and processing goods stack 66 from the processing chamber 14 into the cooling device 10′. In this manner, it can be prevented that the moved parts of the transport mechanism come into contact with the hot and corrosive areas of the processing plant.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a processing device 10 according to the invention, which is e.g. provided for the formation of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)₂ semiconductor layers on substrates 12 which are to be used for the production of solar cells.

The processing device 10 comprises an evacuable processing chamber 14, which is limited by a processing chamber wall 16. The processing chamber wall 16 is formed from stainless steel and is maintained by a tempering device, which can be designed in a similar manner to the processing device shown in FIG. 1, at a temperature ranging from 150° C. to 250° C. Accordingly, this can be a tube line system, which is attached to the outer side of the processing chamber 14, and in particular welded to the processing chamber wall 16 and which encircles the processing chamber 14 in a meander form, through which e.g. a suitable hot oil flows. As an alternative or additionally, the hot oil can however also flow through channels (not shown) which are accordingly embedded into the processing wall 16. Additionally, the outer side of the processing chamber wall 16 can be equipped with a thermally insulating material.

On an inner side of the processing chamber wall 16, the processing chamber 14 is at least approximately completely cladded with a corrosion-resistant, low-particle, thermal insulation material 22. The insulation material 22 can be a ceramic, a glass ceramic, graphite or graphite foam, including a fibre material, e.g. Carbon Fibre Enforced Carbon (CFC) or graphite felt, or an insulation material containing ceramic fibres, e.g. consisting of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ fibres.

A gas guidance device 24 is arranged in a central area of the processing chamber 14. The gas guidance device 24 comprises an upper separating plate 26 and a lower separating plate 28. In addition to the upper and lower separating plate 26, 28, a front and a rear separating plate (not shown) can be provided. Generally, however, the front and rear separating plate are not present, since their function is fulfilled by the thermally insulated chamber side walls, including the doors or vacuum valves arranged there. The upper and lower separating plate 26, 28 and if appropriate, the front and rear separating plate are preferably formed from a corrosion-resistant material, such as CFC, from a ceramic material, such as silicon carbide or silicon nitride, or a glass ceramic material.

All separating plates are also cladded with a layer of the forenamed thermal insulation material 22.

The gas guidance device 24 furthermore comprises a first distributor device 30, which is arranged in the area of a first (in FIG. 1 on the left) front side of the gas guidance device 24 between the separating plates 26, 28, and/or a second distributor device 32, which is arranged in the area of a second (in FIG. 1 on the right) front side of the gas guidance device 24 between the separating plates 26, 28. The distributor devices 30, 32 are respectively made of a corrosion-resistant material such as CFC, silicon carbide, silicon nitride or a glass ceramic material. In the present exemplary embodiment, the distributor devices 30, 32 are in each case a plate which is equipped with a plurality of vertical slits 33 which are in particular aligned with the substrates 12. As an alternative or an addition, the plate, or each plate, can also contain a plurality of holes.

The alternative embodiment 10 according to FIG. 7 furthermore contains a second feed line 208, e.g. for selenium or sulphur, and if appropriate a third feed line for sulphur or selenium (not shown) as a component of a transfer device 200, via which selenium and/or sulphur first enter the processing chamber 14 in solid form. The third feed line respectively is then a regular component of a separate supply and dosing unit. Here, solid selenium or solid sulphur can be stored, preferably under inert gas conditions, in the solid materials supply 202. Via the dosing device 204, solid selenium or solid sulphur can be transferred via the second feed line 208 by actuating the valve 206 into a vaporization unit 210 located inside the processing chamber 14. In other words, the valve is also integrated into the feed line to the processing chamber. The inert gas feed line 216 opens out upstream of this valve 206. If the selenium or sulphur are present in melted form in the crucible 210, according to a method variant, the valve 206 can be closed and the inert gas feed can be increased via the feed line 216. In this manner, the quantity of elementary selenium or sulphur vapor from the shuttle or crucible 210 can be adjusted or increased. The solid material which is introduced in this manner can for example be converted with the aid of a heating element 214 which is arranged below the crucible/shuttle into fluid and gaseous selenium or gaseous sulphur vapor, which can then be fed via a gas distributor into the processing chamber 14 as elementary selenium or sulphur vapor 44. In order to ensure that the entire transfer process takes place under inert conditions, inert gas can be introduced into the second feed line 208 via a feed line 216. This inert gas flow can be used to deliver selenium or sulphur vapor from the vaporization unit 10 in a particularly effective manner.

The method according to the invention can be implemented in a particularly secure manner using the processing device shown in FIG. 7. Additionally, the procedure made possible by this device has the advantage that solid selenium or solid sulphur can be dosed in a highly precise manner. It is no longer necessary to open the processing device for the introduction of solid selenium or sulphur, and an external vaporization source and the entailing apparatus costs are no longer required.

Instead of introducing the sulphur or selenium in solid form into the processing chamber via a feed line, or in a shuttle or crucible present in the processing chamber, according to a further embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a processing device 10 can be provided in which one or more shuttles filled with solid selenium or solid sulphur, if appropriate also filled with fluid selenium or fluid sulphur, are inserted into the processing chamber 14 via a transfer station or transfer or sluice chamber 228. This advantageously occurs under inert gas conditions, using the vacuum feeders 222 and 224. In this embodiment, the transfer or sluice chamber 228 is docked onto the processing chamber 14. In the variant shown, a shuttle module 230 containing a plurality of shuttles/crucibles 218 with selenium or sulphur pellets is filled via an external dosing device 234 from a corresponding supply 232 with the aid of a valve 236 (see FIG. 8 a). The filling stage of the shuttle module 230 can already be implemented under inert conditions in a simple manner. The filled shuttle module 230 is introduced into the transfer or sluice chamber 228 via the vacuum feeder 224 (FIG. 8 b). The shuttle module 230 can be prepared in the transfer or sluice chamber 228 for introduction into the processing chamber 14 via the vacuum feeder 222 by multiple evacuation and rinsing with inert gas. In the processing chamber 14, the selenium or sulphur present in the individual shuttles 218 in solid form can be converted into a fluid state using the heating unit 226 (FIG. 8 c). Via the inert gas feed line 220, inert gas enters the respective shuttles 218 and forces the distribution of elementary sulphur or selenium vapor inside the processing chamber. The feed device 220 can be designed in the form of a gas chamber, containing a plurality of injection nozzles, for example. Alternatively or additionally, the elementary selenium or sulphur vapor can be discharged from the respective shuttle 218 by the ventilators 50 and distributed in the processing chamber 14. Furthermore, it is possible to go without the heating unit 226, since the heating device of the substrate in the processing chamber 14 ensures corresponding processing temperatures which lead to a fluidization of the selenium or sulphur. As a rule, the shuttle module 230 is retained in the processing chamber 14 until all sulphur or all selenium has been vaporised. The shuttle module 230 can then be further conveyed out via the transfer or sluice chamber 228 and re-filled.

FIG. 9 shows a further development of the embodiment of a processing device 10 as shown in FIG. 8. Inert gas is fed into each shuttle via the inert gas feed line 220. As a result, the selenium or sulphur which has been liquidized via the heating unit 214 is discharged from the outlet nozzle 242 in elementary vapor form. Alternatively or additionally, the flow generated via the ventilators 50 can be used to transfer fluidized selenium or fluidized sulphur into the processing chamber. This is achieved particularly effectively when a flow deflection device, which can in particular be pivoted or changed in its position, is provided, in particular in the form of a flow flap valve 238, with the aid of which the gas flow in the processing chamber which is generated by the ventilators 50 is guided in a targeted manner over the surface of the fluidized selenium or sulphur. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the flow flap valve 238 guides the inert gas flow via the inlet opening 240 over the fluid selenium or sulphur surface, so that via the outlet opening or nozzle 242, elementary sulphur or elementary selenium can be discharged in vapor form. Insofar as is necessary, the deflection plates 54 can also be used to guide the gas flow over the fluid selenium or sulphur samples in the crucibles 218.

The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, in the claims and in the drawings can be essential both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in its different embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10 Processing device -   12 Substrate -   14 Processing chamber -   16 Processing chamber wall -   18 Tempering device -   20 Tube line -   22 Thermal insulation material -   24 Gas guidance device -   26 Upper separating plate -   28 Lower separating plate -   30 First distributor device -   32 Second distributor device -   33 Slit -   34 Upper chamber area -   35 Gas flow -   36 Heating device -   38 Lower chamber area -   40 Cooling device -   42 Gas inlet device -   44 Processing gas -   46 First ventilator -   48 First drive shaft -   50 Second ventilator -   52 Second drive shaft -   54 Upper gas deflection element -   56 Lower gas deflection element -   60 Loading opening -   62 Plate valve -   64 Carrier -   66 Processing goods stack -   68 Rear side -   70 Discharge opening -   72 Plate valve -   74 Connection section -   76 Sluice chamber -   100 Feed line -   102 Source for elementary selenium vapor -   104 Source for elementary sulphur vapor -   106 Valve -   108 Valve -   110 Source chamber -   112 Melted selenium mass -   114 Crucible -   116 Line -   118 Carrier gas -   120 Melted sulphur mass -   122 Source chamber wall -   124 Tempering device -   126 Tempering device -   200 Transfer device -   202 Solid material supply -   204 Dosing device -   206 Valve -   208 Feed line -   210 Vaporization unit -   214 Heating element -   218 Feed line -   218 Shuttle/crucible containing selenium or sulphur -   220 Inert gas feed line -   222 Vacuum feeder -   224 Vacuum feeder -   228 Heater for Vaporization unit -   228 Transfer chamber -   230 Shuttle module -   232 Selenium or sulphur solid material supply -   236 Dosing unit -   236 Valve -   238 Flow flap valve -   240 Flow inlet -   242 Flow outlet nozzle 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, in which the substrates contain at least one conducting, semiconducting, and/or insulating layer, the method comprising: inserting a stack of substrates, each of which has at least one metal layer or at least one layer containing metal, into a processing chamber, wherein an inner side of the processing chamber has a thermal insulation material that is resistant under processing conditions; heating the stack of substrates to a predetermined substrate temperature; and guiding elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor past the metal layers or layers containing metal in the stack of substrates, from a source located inside or outside the processing chamber by way of a carrier gas, under rough vacuum conditions or ambient pressure conditions or overpressure conditions, in order to react chemically with said layers with selenium or sulphur in a controlled manner, wherein the stack of substrates is heated by way of forced convection by at least one gas conveying device in the processing chamber in which the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past the substrate by way of the forced convection in a homogeneous manner, and wherein a heating device is arranged in a gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device in order to heat the carrier gas containing the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor in the processing chamber.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stack of substrates is heated by way of forced convection by an injection nozzle or a ventilator that provides the at least one gas conveying device.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gas conveying device is arranged in an area of a front side of the stack of substrates.
 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising affixing the gas conveying device to a drive shaft that extends into the processing chamber.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source is maintained at an increased source temperature or is adjusted to an increased source temperature, that, at any point in time during the guiding past of the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor on the stack of substrates, is lower than the temperature in the processing chamber and lower than a minimum substrate temperature.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first feed line through which the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided from the source to the stack of substrates or a wall that defines the processing chamber is maintained at a temperature that is equal to or greater than the temperature of the source.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises guiding the carrier gas through a bubbler comprising fluid selenium or fluid sulphur, or guiding the carrier gas past a crucible filled with fluid selenium or sulphur that comprises a side that enables the selenium or sulphur to evaporate.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction of the selenium and/or sulphur vapor with the metal layers or the layers containing metal is conducted under a total pressure in the processing chamber in a range of rough vacuum conditions or ambient pressure conditions or overpressure conditions and/or under a selenium or sulphur vapor partial pressure ranging from approximately 0.001 mbar to approximately 100 mbar.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal layers or layers containing metal comprise at least the elements In, Cu, and/or Ga.
 10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following stages: (a) increasing the temperature of the stack of substrates with a heating rate of approximately 5° C./minute to 600° C./minute from a first temperature to a temperature ranging from approximately 400° C. to 600° C.; (b) feeding elementary selenium vapor into the processing chamber from a substrate temperature ranging from 100° C. to 350° C.; (c) maintaining the temperature of the stack of substrates in a range from 400° C. to 600° C. for 1 minute to 120 minutes; (d) while maintaining the temperature of the stack of substrates in a range from 400° C. to 600° C., shutting down the feed of elementary selenium vapor into the processing chamber after a first predetermined time period in a range from 1 to 120 minutes; (e) pumping out and/or rinsing of the processing chamber with at least one inert gas; (f) feeding elementary sulphur vapor into the processing chamber; (g) increasing the temperature of the stack of substrates with a heating rate of approximately 50° C./minute to 600° C./minute to a temperature ranging from approximately 450° C. to 650° C., and during this procedure, adjusting the sulphur source temperature to attain a partial pressure between 0.001 mbar and 100 mbar; (h) maintaining the temperature of the stack of substrates in a range from 450° C. to 650° C. for 1 minute to 120 minutes; (i) while maintaining the temperature of the stack of substrates in a range from 450° C. to 650° C., shutting down the feed of elementary sulphur vapor into the processing chamber after a second predetermined time period in a range from 12 to 120 minutes; (j) cooling the stack of substrates; and (k) pumping out and/or rinsing of the processing chamber with at least one inert gas.
 11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising, in step (b), after feeding elementary selenium vapor into the processing chamber, feeding elementary sulphur vapor into the processing chamber and subsequently adjusting the selenium source temperature to attain a partial pressure between 0.001 mbar and 100 mbar.
 12. The method according to claim 1, wherein in a first selenization stage, elementary selenium vapor is guided past the metal layers and/or layers containing metal, and wherein in a subsequent sulphurization stage, elementary sulphur vapor is guided past the metal layers and/or layers containing metal.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein during the selenization stage, from a substrate temperature in a range from 120° C. to 600° C., elementary sulphur vapor is fed into the processing chamber in such a manner that a partial pressure ratio of selenium to sulphur is created between 0 and 0.9.
 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein H₂Se, H₂S, and/or hydrogen is added to the carrier gas containing selenium and/or sulphur vapor.
 15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal layers or layers containing metal comprise at least one of the elements In, Zn, or Mg, and/or the semiconductor layer to be produced is a buffer layer, in particular an In₂S₃—, In₂(S,Se)₃—, ZnSe—, ZnS—, Zn(S,OH)—, or (ZnMg)S layer, or an (In₂S₃—ZnS) mixed layer.
 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the metal layers and/or the layers containing metal contain an indium-sulphur compound and/or an indium-selenium compound, or the buffer layer comprises an In₂S₃ layer or an In₂(S,Se)₃ layer.
 17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the substrate temperature is lower than or equal to 350° C. and is greater than or equal to 150° C.
 18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inserting selenium and/or sulphur in solid form into the processing chamber via a transfer device.
 19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising inserting the solid form selenium and/or sulphur into the processing chamber using a second feed line or a sluice chamber as the transfer device.
 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein pre-heated carrier gas is fed via the second feed line and/or at least one third feed line to an internal selenium and/or sulphur source.
 21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coated substrates are pre-coated glass substrates that can be used for the production of chalcopyrite semiconductor layers and/or buffer layers on I-III-VI connection semiconductor layers for solar cells.
 22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding H₂Se and/or H₂S before and/or during the selenization stage with elementary selenium.
 23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said H₂Se and/or H₂S is added at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 350° C.
 24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the layers containing metal comprise (i) at least one metal and one non-metallic element of the periodic table of elements, and/or (ii) at least one chemical compound of a metal with a non-metallic element of the periodic table of elements.
 25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier gas is an inert carrier gas.
 26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising maintaining, by a tempering device, at least one partial section of a wall that defines the processing chamber and at least one section of the first feed line, respectively, at a predetermined temperature.
 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising maintaining, by the tempering device, at least one section of the first feed line at the predetermined temperature. 